Rudbeckia plant named ‘RUDLU203’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Rudbeckia  plant named ‘RUDLU203’ that is characterized by its short plant height, its well-branched plant habit, its very floriferous blooming habit, its long flowering period, and its ray florets that are yellow-orange in color that fade lighter towards the tips.

Botanical classification: Rudbeckia hirta.

Variety denomination: ‘RUDLU203’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to a European plant breeders' rightsapplication filed on Sep. 4, 2018, application No. 2018/2268. There havebeen no offers for sale anywhere in the world prior to the effectivefiling date of this Application and no accessibility to one of ordinaryskill in the art could have been derived from the printed plantbreeder's rights documents.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofRudbeckia hirta and will hereafter by referred to by its cultivar name,‘RUDLU203’. The new cultivar is an herbaceous perennial grown for use asa landscape plant.

‘RUDLU203’ was derived from a breeding program in July of 2016 conductedby the Inventor at a nursery in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands. Theobjective of the breeding program was to select new cultivars ofRudbeckia with floriferous blooming habits and compact plant habits.

‘RUDLU203’ was selected in July of 2017 by the Inventor from amongstseedlings in a trial field that had been planted with seed derived fromopen pollination of numerous unpatented and unnamed proprietary plantsfrom the Inventor's breeding program. The exact parentage is thereforeunknown.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished under thedirection of the Inventor by tissue culture using meristematic tissue inHeerhugowaard, The Netherlands in January of 2018. Asexual propagationby tissue culture has determined that the characteristics of the newcultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating tosales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than oneyear prior to the effective filing date of this application. Anyinformation about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims aprior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/orsales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to theeffective filing date. Disclosure include but may not be limited to awebsite listing by AB-Cultivars (a company owned by the Inventor).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘RUDLU203’ as a unique cultivar of Rudbeckia.

-   -   1. ‘RUDLU203’ exhibits a short plant height.    -   2. ‘RUDLU203’ exhibits a well-branched plant habit.    -   3. ‘RUDLU203’ exhibits a long flowering period.    -   4. ‘RUDLU203’ exhibits inflorescences with ray florets that are        yellow-orange in color that fade lighter towards the tips.

‘RUDLU203’ can be compared to the Rudbeckia cultivars ‘Dublin’ (notpatented), and ‘RUDHT37’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 30,657). ‘Dublin’ and‘RUDHT37’ are both similar to ‘RUDLU203’ in flower coloration. ‘Dublin’differs from ‘RUDLU203’ in having weaker stems, in commencing bloomlater in the flowering season, and in having a less floriferous bloominghabit. ‘RUDHT37’ differs from ‘RUDLU203’ in having a taller plantheight, in commencing bloom later in the flowering season, and in havingray florets that are slightly darker in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Rudbeckia. The photographs weretaken of a 4-month-old plant of ‘RUDLU203’ as grown outdoors in a 19-cmcontainer in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 is a side view of ‘RUDLU203’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of an inflorescence of‘RUDLU203’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the foliage of‘RUDLU203’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with thephotographic and printing technology utilized and the color values citedin the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors ofthe new Rudbeckia.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 4-month-old plants of‘RUDLU203’ as grown outdoors in 19-cm containers in Zuidwolde, TheNetherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variationsin environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not beentested under all possible environmental conditions. The colordetermination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, England, except where general color termsof ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Average of 13 weeks from early summer to            late summer in The Netherlands.        -   Plant type.—Perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Broadly upright, compact.        -   Plant shape.—Narrow obovate.        -   Height and spread.—Average of 57.2 cm in height from soil            level to top of foliar plane and 69.8 cm in height from soil            level to top of floral plane, 35.9 cm in diameter.        -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 10.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to            diseases or pests has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fine and fibrous.        -   Propagation.—Tissue culture.        -   Root development.—An average of 3 weeks for root initiation            with a young rooted plant produced in an average of 6 weeks.        -   Growth rate and vigor.—Moderate to highly vigorous.-   Stem description:    -   -   Shape.—Moderately angled.        -   Stem color.—Young stems; 144B, mature stems; 144B, angles            143B.        -   Stem size.—An average of 5 mm in diameter and an average of            46.4 cm in height.        -   Stem surface.—Moderately glossy and densely covered with            strigose hairs an average of 2 mm in length and close to            NN155D in color.        -   Stem number.—Average of 15 main stems, 3 lateral branches            per main stem.        -   Internode length.—An average of 4.8 cm in length.        -   Stem aspect.—Main stems; average of 10° to vertical, lateral            branches; average of 17.5° to main stems.        -   Branching.—Freely branching from base with lateral stems.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Elliptic to obovate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, color upper surface 147D, color            lower surface 146D.        -   Leaf margins.—Coarsely serrate, coarsely slightly undulate.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 10.7 cm in length and 4.3 cm in width.        -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; 143A, young lower surface;            143B, mature upper surface; 137B and 138A, mature lower            surface; 146B.        -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces rough to the touch, matte and            densely pubescent with short strigose hairs; an average of            1.75 mm in length and 156D in color.        -   Petioles.—Average of 5 cm in length, flattened, average            diameter at widest point 7 mm and at narrowest point 3 mm,            upper surface color; 148D, margins 137B and 138A, lower            surface color; 147D, margins 137B, both surfaces slightly            glossy and densely covered with strigose hairs; an average            of 1.75 mm in length and 156D in color.-   Flower description:    -   -   Type.—Terminal capitulum, consisting of ray florets and disk            florets.        -   Capitulum number.—1 per stem, up to 45 per plant.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—Average of 2 weeks,            persistent.        -   Capitulum size.—Matures to about 2.5 cm in height and 10 cm            in diameter, disk size is an average of 2.2 cm in diameter.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Involucral bracts (phyllaries).—Broadly cuneate base, obtuse            to bluntly acute apex, narrow oblong in shape, entire            margins, average of 36 arranged in 2 rows, rotate, held in            an average of −20°, 1.7 cm in length and 4 mm in width,            color; upper surface when fully open 137A, lower surface            when fully open 138A, both surfaces slightly glossy and            densely covered with strigose hairs; an average of 1.5 mm in            length and NN155D in color, margins are moderately to            densely covered with strigose hairs 1.5 mm in length and            NN155D in color.        -   Receptacle.—Near orbicular in shape, an average of 8 mm in            height and 1.1 cm in diameter, 157D in color.        -   Buds.—Globular in shape, immature ray florets pointed upward            and curling inward, up to 2.3 cm in length and 3.4 cm in            diameter, immature ray florets 153D in color, immature            involucral bracts upper surface 137B in color, immature            involucral bracts lower surface 138A, surface on involucral            bracts and immature ray florets is densely covered with            strigose hairs; an average of 1 mm in length, NN156D in            color on bracts and 153D in color on immature ray florets.        -   Peduncle.—Strong, straight on top of main flowering stem,            average of 12.1 cm in length and 3.5 mm in diameter, color;            144A and axially striped 143B, surface moderately glossy            sand densely covered with short strigose hairs; an average            of 2 mm in length and NN155D in color.        -   Ray florets.—Average of 21 (varying between 20 and 26),            rotate around the disk, oblong in shape, average of 4.5 cm            in length and 1.6 cm in width, emarginate to praemorse apex,            cuneate base, entire margins, both surfaces are velvety,            matte and glabrous, densely covered with very short            adpressed hairs, 0.5 mm in length and 15C in color, held            near horizontal, color; when opening upper side a color            between 17A and 21A, when opening lower side 13A to 13B,            changing to 154B and 3B at the base, when fully open upper            side 17A, changing to 14A at the tip, when fully open lower            side 15B, veins 154C.        -   Disk flowers.—Average about 700 slightly curved and tubular            in shape, 16 whorls arranged spirally on a conical            receptacle, lower 90% fused into tube, upper 10% free,            tubular, about 7 mm in length and 2 mm in width, free lobes            have entire margins, apices of free lobes acute and curled            backwards, both surfaces glabrous and slightly glossy,            color; when opening upper and lower surface 200A, base 157D,            when fully open upper and lower surface 155C, tinged 187C,            base 155C, spines; none, bracts; 1 per disk floret,            flattened, an average of 4 mm in length and 0.8 mm in            diameter, oblanceolate in shape, acute apex, narrowly            cuneate base, color; apex 200B, mid-section 157A, margined            200B to 200C, base 157A, matte surface and moderately            pubescent with hairs; an average of 0.3 mm in length, 200B            in color.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, 6.5 mm in length, style; 5 mm in            length, color; top 200A, mid-section 155C, tinged 187C, base            155C, stigma; cleft, decurrent, 5 mm in diameter, 200A in            color, ovary; 156D in color.        -   Androecium.—Stamens; 5, filaments; 2 mm in length, 155B in            color, anther; narrow oblong in shape, 2.5 mm in length, 0.5            mm in width, 200A in color, pollen; moderate in quantity and            17A in color.        -   Fruit/seed.—None observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Rudbeckia plant named‘RUDLU203’ substantially as herein illustrated and described.